(The Gerald Clayton Trio with Joel Frahm at Jazz Port Townsend 2011.  Photo by Jim Levitt)

Congratulations and best of luck to Jazz Port Townsend alumni Kurt Elling, Gerald Clayton, Joe Lovano, and Christian McBride on their 2012 Grammy nominations!

Kurt Elling was nominated for “Best Vocal Jazz Album,” for his release, The Gate (Concord Records).  Joe Lovano and Gerald Clayton were both nominated for “Best Jazz Instrumental Album” – Lovano and Us Five for, Bird Songs (Blue Note), and the Gerald Clayton Trio for, Bond: The Paris Sessions (Emarcy/Decca).  The Christian McBride Big Band was nominated for “Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album” for, The Good Feeling (Mack Avenue Records).

The recording industry’s most prestigious award, the Grammy, is presented annually by The Recording Academy, and awarded by The Recording Academy’s voting membership to honor excellence in the recording arts and sciences. It is truly a peer honor, awarded by and to artists and technical professionals for artistic or technical achievement, not sales or chart positions.  Learn more about the Academy voting process HERE.

Jazz Port Townsend is one of the nation’s longest running and most respected jazz festivals.  Each year, established and emerging artists – including numerous Grammy award winners – descend on Fort Worden State Park in Port Townsend, WA, to share their vision and artistry with a new generation of musicians.

The faculty lineup and schedule for Jazz Port Townsend 2012 – taking place July 22-29 – will be posted soon.  Check www.centrum.org/jazz for updates and more, and we’ll see you in July 2012!